Is it ok to separate Clown fish

[John-Solo]

I have a 14gal with 2 clowns and a Wheeler Goby. One of the Clowns I think is getting to big for the tank. She's about 2 1/2-3" and bullying (she killed the Skunk shrimp I put after about 2 days). The 2 clowns have been together for a while before I got them and I know Clown can pair up. Is it Ok to take the larger one out or will it cause to much stress?

 

 

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[ReefAddict]

Crazy clown!   Wouldn't have thought a clown would kill a shrimp.  For your question, who are you worried about being too stressed?  The bully clown?    I wouldn't think either clown would be too stressed, the bully should be fine as long as he is in a nice new home and the one being bulled should be less stressed.  Unless I am overlooking something.

[John-Solo]

The 2 clowns are fine with each other, it's the other inhabitants that are getting pushed around. She even bites me when I clean the tank. I know the clowns had been together for over a year before I got them and I've heard that once a pair of clowns buddy up it's bad to separate them? If not anyone want to trade coral or fish for the big clown?

 

 

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[zygote2k]

It's the fishes way of saying that the tank is too small. Erratic behavior is a result from being kept in fishy prison.

Ditch the clowns and get some micro sized fish that are more sedentary.

[L8 2 RISE]

Clowns are always going to be very territorial- especially larger females. In a smaller tank, that means the whole tank is theirs. In larger tanks it means just a chunk of the tank will be. Either way you'll get bit when you put your hand near them.

 

I personally wouldn't separate them. Eventually the smaller one will grow large and you'll have the same problem, so either keep the pair and decide you want a primarily clownfish tank, or get rid of them together. As to whether they would do OK being separated, IME they'd be fine. Younger clowns tend to have no trouble adapting, however I suppose we don't really know how much stress it actually causes.